Published 5:30 am, Tuesday, August 2, 2005

Houston is nationally known as an unusually friendly city, where visitors are warmly received and strangers are willing to offer directions and assistance to newcomers who need help. That's why the conclusion of a mayoral task force on the city's major portal for international air travelers is so disturbing.

The task force, chaired by attorney and former ambassador Arthur Schechter, found that Bush Intercontinental Airport has acquired the reputation among many foreign visitors as an undesirable entry point into the United States. That view was particularly strong among business travelers, especially those working in the energy industry, a key sector of the city's economy. Schechter says Mayor Bill White appointed the task force after foreign attendees at the city's annual Offshore Technology Conference became so unhappy with their treatment at the airport that there was talk of moving the premier oil and gas event to London.

According to the report, foreign nationals are subjected to longer waits for clearance by U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents here than at other major U.S. airports and are more likely to be subjected to secondary screening. In one instance cited by Schechter, an 87-year-old Iranian woman was detained for 10 hours because she couldn't recall her father's birthday, a necessary item on entry forms. Houston screeners also required a street address for visitors' destinations, rather than the name of the hotel or a contact name and phone number, as is accepted at other airports.

Complainants cited instances of cultural insensitivity by federal inspectors, in particular toward Muslims. In one case, passengers arriving from Pakistan were forced to walk past security dogs as they exited their plane, an issue of concern since some devout Muslims view dogs as unclean and require ritual bathing after contact with the animals.

Since the task force began its work, Schechter says many of the problems cited in the report have been corrected. He praised U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials for cooperating with task force members and quickly addressing the complaints about cultural insensitivity.

Remaining areas of concern involve understaffing of the airport's new customs facility. While the expanded processing area increased the number of inspection booths from 36 to 84, there are not enough inspectors to staff them all at peak arrival hours. The report recommends hiring at least a dozen more inspectors for the airport and 60 for the Port of Houston.

Schechter says the entry process can be speeded by giving travelers lengthy registration forms at the time they receive their visas, so they can be completed before arrival. Separate processing for those carrying business visas and attending conventions in Houston would cut down on the delays and make it easier for the city to attract and keep future business confabs.

In the aftermath of the 2001 terrorist attacks, security concerns became top priority at the nation's airports, with justified inconvenience for all air travelers. U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials say they are doing everything possible to treat Houston's foreign visitors fairly and professionally. They should act on the task force recommendations and create a faster, more congenial experience for our international guests when they arrive.